The Tejon Indian Tribe and Hard Rock International have begun a $725 million expansion of their California casino, adding a 406-room hotel and increasing slot capacity by nearly 43% less than a year after opening.
The project in Mettler, Calif. is scheduled to open in summer 2028, Hard Rock said in an Oct. 21 statement. It will transform the casino along the Interstate 5 corridor into Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon, with convention facilities, pools and a space.
The casino currently includes 150,000 square feet of gaming space, 2,100 slot machines, more than 60 table games and multiple dining venues serving travelers along California’s Interstate 5 corridor.
The development is expected to create more than 1,500 construction jobs and 350 permanent positions, bringing total employment at the property to more than 1,700 jobs, according to the company.
The hotel will include 119 suites. An additional 900 slot machines will bring the casino’s total to 3,000, supplementing a property that opened in Nov. 2025 with 150,000 square feet of gaming space and more than 60 table games.
The development marks the next phase of the tribe’s partnership with Hard Rock, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The casino sits on Tejon Indian tribal land less than 15 miles south of Bakersfield.
Plans also call for a Council Oak Steaks & Seafood restaurant, two additional Marketplace dining outlets and a center bar.
The expansion includes convention and event space with meeting rooms, pre-function space and an outdoor event lawn. Resort amenities will feature two pools with cabanas and daybeds, as well as a Rock Spa with 13 treatment rooms.
Klai Juba Wald Architecture + Interiors is serving as architect of record for the expansion, working with the tribe, Hard Rock International and PENTA Building Group, the architecture firm said in a LinkedIn post last week.
